Interview: Todd Gitlin on Occupy and the election

Less than a year ago, Occupy Wall Street became a media sensation as waves of protest swept through America.

Last November, its main center in New York was cleared by police, and since then the movement has received only sporadic attention – even though a core group of activists is still working to further the cause.

With the presidential election just over a week away, it seemed like a good time to reassess Occupy’s political impact.

Todd Gitlin is a professor of sociology and journalism at Columbia University, and the author of a book called “Occupy Nation: The Roots, the Spirit and the Promise of Occupy Wall Street,” released earlier in the year.

Frederick Bernas spoke with Professor Gitlin in New York, and started by asking him what the Occupiers have been up to recently.